Three people were in police custody last night after a Muslim teenager was stabbed to death in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

The victim, aged 17, was attacked near the town’s railway station at about 2pm on Saturday. A 24-year-old man was arrested and later released, but three other young men aged 17, 18 and 19, who are all believed to be white, were still being held for questioning.

Transport police closed the station after the attack but it was reopened yesterday.

Police confirmed the identity of the victim as Ahmed Hassan, 17, from Batley, West Yorkshire. He was in the sixth form at Heckmondwike Grammar School, where he was studying for his A Levels.

Shahid Malik, the Minister for International Development and MP for Dewsbury, said that Ahmed was a model citizen who had simply found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. He added that police were investigating whether the attack was racially motivated.

Ahmed was on his way to Manchester for a shopping trip with a friend when he was stabbed in the heart. His friend held him until the emergency services arrived. He died later at Dewsbury and District Hospital.

Mr Malik said: “This was a complete innocent, a young man who has no history of trouble. He was a model pupil and a model citizen and he encountered people that have evil intent.”

Mr Malik said that the stabbing had cast a shadow over the area, which was preparing to celebrate Christmas and the Muslim festival of Eid.

He said that the victim’s family were taking strength from their faith, but added: “Eid will never be the same again for this family. This is a time when family and community ought to be looking forward to positive things.

“Right across the community, there is a real sense of grief at such a tragic loss of life. He had an incredibly bright future and it has been wickedly cut short by the heinous acts of these individuals.

“I am confident we will get to the bottom of this, but at this moment in time, I cannot say whether it was racially motivated.”

A strong British National Party presence has developed in Dewsbury, which was home to one of the July 7 bombers.

A police spokesman said: “Police would like to appeal for anyone who may have been passing through Dewsbury railway station at around 1400hrs who may have witnessed the incident and be able to help police with inquiries to contact the incident room on 01924 431139.”

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